Mechanism for automatically opening and closing the breech of guns



Dec. 22, 1931. N. E. METHLIN 18,837,989

MECHANISM Fo AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH GUNS FiledSept. 25, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOQ Dec. 22, 1931. N, E METHUN11,837,980

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS FiledSept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FTTOR/VEYY Dec. 22, 1931. 1,837,98Q

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS N. E.METHLIN 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 25} 1950 ITTORNEYS.

N. E. METHLEN Dec. 22, I931.

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS FiledSept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m vszvrqa,

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Dec. 22, 1931. N. E. METHLIN 1,837,980

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS Mam)? M N. E. METHLIN Dec, 22, 1931.

MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING THE BREECH OF GUNS FiledSept. 25, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v El n.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 rare NICOLAS EMILIEN' METHLIN, OF PAIR-IS,FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO SCHNEIDER &, CIR, OF PARIS, FRANCE, A. LIIEITEDJOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF FRANCE FLECHAN ISM FOR AUTOFIATIOALLY OPENENG ANDCLOSING THE BREECI-I OF GUNS Application filed This invention relates toimprovements in the invention claimed in prior U. S. Letters Patent No;1,731,863;

In this prior specification a mechanism has 3 been describedforautomatically opening and device which is also' automatic.

closing the breech of guns, characterized by an abutment and guidingmember for the breech operating lever,th1s member comprising an abutmentand a sliding surface for the opening movements of the breech,connectedtoa bearing surrace for holding the breech block in the openposition during the end of the movement of return to battery position ofthe gun. The closureof the breech was effected automatically under theaction of a spring stressed during the opening movement when the supportof the-lever onthe guiding member was removed.

X In the form of construction described and illustrated, the removal ofthis support was obtained by withdrawing themember laterally from thelever inorder to permit the latter torotate. The invention was appliedby way of example to a breech with concentric screw threads, theoperating lever being keyed upon the'trunnion axisof the breech block.

Fhe object of the present invention is to provide improvements in thisautomatic controlling mechanism.

The invention is described and illustrated as applied to a breech blockwith an eccentric screw, and in this particular application themechanismfor controlling the movements of-the breech block is associated with afiring Means are also provided to permit the hand operation of thebreech block and also of the firing.

The essential feature of the invention consistsin principle in the meansemployed for September 25, 1930, Serial No. 484,3S6, and in France May24, 1930.

is illustrated by way of example in the accom panying drawings, in whichFigure 1' is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken along the line 1-1in Figure 2,

showing the members in the closed breech position and arranged forautomatic firing.

Figure 2 is aback elevation with a part in section taken along the line22 in Figure 1, showing more particularly the transmission between theoscillating operating lever and the breech which has an eccentric screw.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1,showin in particular the firing members in the position for which firinghas been efiected.

Figure 4- is a sectional elevation of a part taken along the line 4-4 inFigure 3 and showing the shutter combined with the firing rack rod in aposition preventing firing.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken along the line 55 in Figure 1,showing a detail of the shutter control.

Figure 6 is a view in sectional elevation similar to Figure 1, themembers being shownin the open breech position.

Figure 7 is aback elevation with a part in section analogous to Figure2', the section being taken along the line 77 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a plan view with a part in sec tion taken along the line 8-8in Figure 6 showing the device for withdrawing the spring bufier of thebreech operating lever.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section corresponding to Figure 3 and showingthe firing mechanism, the members of which are shown in the cookedposition for firing a first shot.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation of a part corresponding to Figure 1,the members shown being arranged in the practice position for which allautomatic motions are thrown out of engagement.

Figure 11 is an external longitudinal elevation of the whole of themechanism.

In these figures, A is the gun barrel and B the breech block which ishere of thet ype having an eccentric screw thread. C is the oscillatingbreech operating lever which for the closing movements of the breech iscontrolled by a spring recuperator.

D is the cradle onwhich the gun barrel recoils E is the guiding armsimilar to the guiding arm E in prior specification 1,731,863 but whichaccording to the present invention, is rigidly secured to the cradle andas in the said prior specification comprises a vertical core 6 and twohorizontal fins e 6 the whole arrangement of which forms the guidinggroove for the buffer or" the hand grip upon recoil; this groovedecreases gradually in depth from front to back. 6 is the verticalabutment surface of the hand grip upon return to battery position.

The breech operating lever C is also provided with a spring grip Ccomprising a bufier or pin C constantly urged towards the axis of thebarrel by a spring and adapted to run along the groove in the arm E whenthe barrel recoils, so as to abut against the vertical surface 6 of thesaid arm-upon the return to battery position, in order to cause thebreech to open and then to slide on the hori zontal surface 6 It isimmediately seen that in order to close the breech after the return tobattery position of the barrel, it is sufficient to push the spring pinC inside its grip so as to make it escape from the support 6 formed onthe fixed arm E.

In the particular case envisaged, that is to say the automatic controlof a breech with an eccentric screw thread, the operating lever C isaccording to the invention, pivoted about a shaft 0 carried by a supportA rigid with the barrel A. The control of the operating lever C iseffected as in the device according to the main patent by a recuperatorcomprising a cylinder H rigid with the barrel and in which moves apiston I, a spring J being interposed between the end of the cylinder Hand the piston I. The piston I is mounted at the end of a rod 1 the backend of which is coupled by means of a link C with a crank C rigid withthe lever C. In this case, however, a diaphagm l is placed between thepiston l and the spring J and in addition the piston and the diaphragmare guided longitudinally by tongues 2' and 11 respectively sliding ingrooves h formed in the cylinder H.

According to the invention the rotation of the screw breech block isproduced by the oscillation of the lever C by means of the followingtransmission. The screw breech block zomprises a toothed sector B whichengages with a pinion K formed at the end of a sleeve K which forms anut for the rod of the pis- ;on of the recuperator T The lattercomprises a screw thread with a very long pitch, :0 as to permit therotation of the sleeve nut K to be obtained when the screw threaded .od1 moves longitudinally in one direction )r the other. This sleeve nutcomprises a :ollar on which are arranged ball thrust bear- 7 ngs K whichengage on corresponding seatngs on the recuperator cylinder H. Themanner in which the opening and closing of he breech block l3 resultfromthe longitudinal displacements of the screw threaded rod I will beimmediately seen by an examination of Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7.

It has been shown above that the closing of the breech was obtained bythe pivotal movement of the operating lever C under the action of therecuperator H, I, J when the lever was permitted to leave the arm Eafter the return to battery position of the barrel by the withdrawal ofthe pin C of the said lever The device for controlling the disengagementof the pin C is formed according to the present invention, by a pin Lkeyed upon the upper end of a rod L to the lower end of which is keyed alever L the free end of which is engaged in a recess formed in the backend of a horizontal rod M adapted to move longitudinally in bearings D Dmounted on the cradle. At the forward end this rod comprises a shoulderM the rear side of which bears against the bearing D and a return springN is placed in a lodgment formed in the bearing 1) between the shoulderM and a shoulder formed on this bearing. This spring N always tends toturn the rod M backwards and consequently to separate the pin L from thepin C The forward end of the rod M is recessed to receive a springpiston M serving as an elastic support for the lower end of a lever Ukeyed upon a boss 0 which at its opposite end comprises a sec nd leverthe upper end of which engages in a slot P formed at the rear end of arod P.

The boss 0, O, U can turn about a fixed shaft D secured to the cradle Dand a hand lever Q keyed to the outer end of this boss 0 enables thesystem of levers U 0 to be controlled. Naturally if it is not desired tocombine the automatic breech controlling mechanism with the firingmechanism the lever Q will only control the lever with a view towithdrawing the pin C so as to permit the breech to be closed.

The rod P is the first member of a system of rodding for controlling theupward and downward movements of a shutter adapted to permit or preventthe expansion of the spring causing the firing to take place.

For this purpose the rod 1 is pivoted to one of the arms 1% of a bellcrank lever R, R mounted on a shaft D secured to the cradle D. The endof the arm lt is in its turn pivoted to the lower end of a vertical rodS the upper end of which acts on a lever T pivoted about a shaft Dsecured to the cradle l). The free end of the lever T penetrates into arecess formed at the base of a vertical shutter U sliding in a support Drigid with the cradle. The support D comprises an aperture d for thepassage of the end of the firing rod and the shutter comprises ananalogous aperture U adapted to be made to correspond with the aperture6Z6.

It will immediately be. seen that according; as the shutter is in itslower position, as

shown. in Figure 1,. or: in its upper position,

Thevertical rod Sis always urged upwards and consequently the: shutteris also always urged upwards by a spring pusher s situated in a lodgmentformed at the base of the support D and which is always pressed by itsspring against the lower end of the said rod S.

The transmission serving for producing the firing operation is formed bya rod V rigid with a rack V arranged near the rear face of the gunbarrel and adapted to slide in supports a, a carried by the latter.

The rear support a serves as a guide and abutment for the rod: V whichis constantly urged forward by aspring WV interposed between the rearend of the lodgment formed in the support a and a shoulder on the rod V.

The rack V acts directly on the firing hammer X pivoted about a shaftcarried by the gun barrel by means of its engagement with a smalltoothed sector .70 formed on the boss of the said hammer.

In order to produce the firing action, the latter can strike a pusher Z)sliding in a lodgment formed at the back of the screw breech block B,this pusher transmitting the shocks it receives from the hammer to thestriker through a lever 6 The control rodding of the shutter U which isactuated on the one hand by the hand lever Q comprises on the other handa de vice permitting it to be automatically controlled by the screwthreaded' rod I of the recuperator operating the breech lever.

For this purpose the forward end of the recuperator cylinder H comprisesan axial casing H in which a spring buffer Y the rear end of whichissituated opposite the forward end of the screw threaded rod 1 and can bepushed forward by the latter and the forward end of which is in contactfor automatic firing with a pin T which may be keyed in two difierentangular positions on. the lever T operating the shutter U.

For this purpose the boss of the pin T (Fig. 5) forms a lodgment for ahelical spring which constantly presses it against the boss of the leverT. The latter comprises for example two grooves arranged in suitabledirections and in one or the other of which a pin engages which projectsfrom the boss of the pin T According as the pin engaged in one or theother of the rooves the pin T occupies the position snown in Figures 1and 6, or that shown in Figures 4 and 10, the firing rodding being thusactuated automatically or not actuated by the'recuperator rod of thebreech.

Finally the automatic breech controlling mechanism may be put out ofaction temporarily, for example in order to-facilitate practicemanoeuvres, by locking the driving s rin J of the s rin recu erator inits L a c:

compressed position.

For this purpose the recuperator cylinder H is provided with al'ocking'pin Z pivoted about a shaft carriedby the cylinder and whichmay be moved into an inoperative position (Figure 6) or into anoperative position (Figure 10) by means of a spring grip .2 which can beengaged in the two positions in question. The wallof the cylinder H alsocomprises an aperture permitting the passage of the said locking pin Zwhich, when it occupies the position shown: in Figure 10, is engaged in.a catch: formedv on. the diaphragm 1 which is moved into the saidposition by hand operation;

It will immediately be seen that when the diaphragm is thus held in itsrear position, the spring of therecuperator cannot possibly act on thepiston I and when the breech lever is operated; by hand; the gunattendant does not have to exert the force necessary forcompressing thespring.

The operation of the automatic breech I mechanism, and of the firingmechanism when it is present, is as follows When the members occupy thepositions shown in Figures 1' to 3, the mechanism is arranged for theautomatic control of the breech and the firing action, the breech beingclosed and the grip of the lever G having its pin C engaged in thegroove in the arm E.

If the barrel is assumed to be loaded in order to fire thefirst shot,the spring W of" the firing' rack V must first of all be stressed bybringing the hammer by hand from the position shown in Figures 1 to 3 tothat shown in Figures 6, 7 and 9. In this operation the rod Vcompressesthe spring W and its end disengages from the apertures (Z andU formed respectively in the support D and the shutter U.

As soon as the shutter has thus been released the transmission mechanismST actuated by the spring buffer 8 makes the shutter rise into thepositionv shown in Figs. 6 and. 9. This actuation of the saidtransmission S-T by the spring bufier. s is permitted then abuts by itscollar M against the end of its support D The lever O rigid with thehand leverQ, pushes the rigging P forward which, by means of the riggingRR ST moves the shutter U into its lower position, theaperturc U of theshutter being positioned in this way opposite the fixed aperture 03 ofthe support D As soon as this result has been obtained the rod V isacted upon by its spring .V and is thrown forward and its rack Vactuates the hammer X which thus produces the firing action (Figures 1to 3).. I I I When the shot has been fired, the gun barrel by recoilingcarries with it the breech recuperator H-l and the firing rod V. Duringthe recoil the breech lever G acts as in the form of constructiondescribedin the Fat ent No, 1,731,863, that is to say, its spring pin Cfirst travels along the groove in the arm E and then leaves thelatterbefore the end of the recoil.

As soon as the spring pin leaves the bore 6 of the arm under theactionof its spring, it is driven towards the outside of the grip, so thatwhen the return to battery positiontakcs place, it can come into contactwith the abutment surface 6 Du ing the returnto battery position the pinC encounters the vertical abutment surface a which has the effect ofmaking the lever C and the crank (J ri id with the latter pivot fromfront to back about the shaft c..

The crank C in'its movement carries along the rod P of the recuperatorand also the diaphragm I and the piston I, the backward movement ofwhich has the effect of stressing the spring J of the said recuperator.

Moreover, the longitudinal displacement of the screw threaded piston rod1 produces the rotation of the pinion sleeve K K and consequently thatof the screw breech block B by means of the toothed sector B The spentcartridge case is ejected after the pin has been lifted along theabutment surface e and commences to slide on the surface 6 At the end ofthe return to battery position of the barrel, the pin C of the grip uponthe upper surface of the arm E and it is situated opposite end incontact with the releasing finger L the breech being nat urally open(Figure 6).

In order to continue firing, the gun is loaded by hand, for example, andthe lever Q is then moved from front to back in order to produce theautomatic closure of the breech and the consequent automatic firing of ashot.

This pivotal movement of the lever Q produces a pivotal movement of thesame amplitude of each of the two levers O The rotation of the lever Qhas no effect on the hammer action in view of the fact that this leverand the rod P are coupled together with the desired play by means of theslot P The rotation of the lever produces the forward displacement ofthe rod M and consequently the pivotalmovement of the lever L thecorresponding rotation of the rod L I and of the finger L whichdisengages the spring pinC As soon as the latter has left it support onarm E, the expansion of recuperator spring J' moves the rod I forwardagain, the effect of whichis to make the breech lever C pivot from backto front.

. The pin C first slides upon the longitudinal outer face of the arm ll;it passes oppo si e the origin of the groove, mounts the lower wing e bymeans of an incline c (Figure 6) and then, continuing its circularmovement, it engages at the front end of the said groove (Figure 2).

Towards the end of the power stroke of the recuperating piston I, thefront end of the rod 1 strikes, the back end of the spring buffer Y, theaxial movement of which causes the rotation of the finger T andconsequently that of the lever "I" which produces the downward movementof the shutter U.

[as soon the aperture U becomes situted opposite the rod the latter,under the action of its spring W, is thrown into the said catch A and inits movement carries along the rackV which actuates the firing mechanismas indicated above. The barrel rccoils and the same cycle of operationsis reproduced.

When it isdesired to execute firing with n action hand operated and notnecessarily o'wing'the operation of closing the breech, 1b sufficient todisengage the transmi sion between the buffer Y and the rod.-controlling the shutter U by simply lift- "inger T out of the line ofaction of ad buffer Y as indicated above.

The finger T then occupied the position shown in Figs. t and 10.

in this case the breech which has previbeen closed, as shown above, bythe r 'nent of the h nd lever Q from its irate position to its backposition in order to obta n the firing action at any m:.ment, .cient tolower the said lever ard position. The firing acproduced as indicatedfor firing hot. to effect practice manoeuvres, for it is proper toemploy the device or action, shown in Fig. and described above. In thiscase the breech is opened and closed by turning the breech lever (l byhand, by means of its hand grip C".

Naturally the longitudinal displacements of the screw threaded rod I ofthe breech block recuperator are effected in the same way as when thebreech was opened and. closed automatically, so that the movementsnecessary for firing may follow the closure of the breech.

But the firing action may also be obtained as indicated above by movingthe hand lever Q, from the intermediate position to the for- Wardposition, the finger T remaining then in its raised position.

Claims:

1. In a mechanism for automatically opening and closing a gun breech, anoperating lever, a guiding and supporting arm for said operating lever,said arm being rigidly secured to the gun cradle and having a guidingsurface for said lever during the movement of recoil of the gun, anabutment and sliding surface for the opening movement of the breech, anda bearing surface for holding the breech in the open position during thelatter portion of he movement of the gun in returning to battery, a pincarried by said lever and resiliently urged into engagement with saidsurfaces, a spring normally tending to force said operatin lever to aposition to close the breech, means for compressing said spring whensaid breech is opened, said spring being prevented from closing thebreecn by the engagement of said pin with said bearing surface, andmeans for moving said pin out of engagement With said bearing surface topermit closure of the breech under the action of said spring.

2. In a gun, a rotatable breech block eccentrically threaded into thebreech of said gun, a toothed sector formed on said breech block, apinion engaging said sector, a threaded sleeve secured to and extendingaxially of said pinion, a threaded rod engaging said threaded sleeve,means for preventing rotation of said rod, a breech operating leveroperatively connected o said rod and pivotally mounted on said gun,means for automatically moving said lever about its pivot during thecounter-recoil movement of the gun and thereby rotating the breech blockto open position, resilient means yieldingly resisting said movement ofthe lever, means for taining said lever in breech open position,including a pin carried by said lever an d a detaining surface engagedby said. pin, and means for disengaging said pin from said surface topermit closure of the breech under the action of said resilient means.

3. In a gun, a rotatable breech block eccentrically threaded into thebreech of said gun, a toothed sector formed on said breech block, apinion engaging said sector, a threaded sleeve secured to and extendingaxially of said pinion, a threaded rod engaging said threaded sleeve,means for preventing rotation of said rod, a breech operating leveroperatively connected to said rod and pivotally mounted on said gun, aguiding and supporting arm for said operating lever, said arm beingrigidly secured to the gun cradle and having a guiding surface for saidlever during the movement of recoil of the gun, an abutment and slidingsurface for the opening movements of the breech; and'a bearing surfacefor holding the breech in the open position during the latter'portion ofthe movement of the gun in'returning to battery, a pin carried by saidlever andresiliently urged into engagement with said surfaces, a springnormally tending to force said operating lever to a position to closethe breech, means for compressing said springwvhensaid breech is opened,and means for moving said pin out of engagement With said bearingsurface to permit closure of the breech under the action of said spring.

4. In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech of the type whereina breech op. erating lever is automatically actuated by thecounter-recoil movement of the gun to open the breech and is maintainedin breech open position by the engagement of a pin carried by said leverWith an abutment and guiding arm, means for disengaging said pin fromsaid arm to allow said operating lever to be actuated for closing thebreech comprising a shaft journalled in the gun cradle, a finger formedon said shaft and positioned for movement into contact With saidpin, alever secured to said shaft, a rod having a cavity into which the freeend ,of said lever extends, resilient means resisting longitudinalmovement of'said rod, and means for shifting said rod in opposition tosaid spring to rotate said shaft and finger comprising a' hand-actuatedlever and a oneWay motion transmitting device operatively' connectingsaid hand lever to saidrod. i

5. In a gun, a breech block, means for automatically opening said breechblock by the movement of said gun in returning to battery, means forclosing said breech block, means for firing the gun, and commoncontrolling means for said breech closing and firing means.

6. In a gun, a breech block, means for automatically opening said breechblock by the movement of said gun in returning to battery, meansfor'closing said breech block, and means actuated by said breech closingmeans for automatically firing said gun upon completion of the breechclosing operation.

7. In a gun, the combination With means for closing the breech thereof,of means for controlling the firing action comprising a lever pivotallymounted on the gun cradle, a hand-actuated member for controlling theangular displacement of said lever, said member also controlling theactuation of the breech closing means, a firing hammer, means foractuating said hammer including a member supported by the gun barrel andlongitudinally movable relative thereto, resilient means tending toforce said member in a direction to actuate said hammer to fire the gun,

a shutter slidably mounted in the gun cra-.

die in the line of movement of said longitudinally movable member andhaving an aperture therein, said shutter preventing movement of saidmember to firing position except i when said aperture is in registrationtherewith, transmission means operatively connecting said shutter andsaid lever, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a positionwherein said shutter prevents movement of said member to firingposition.

8. In the combination set forth in claim 7, means for automaticallycontrolling the movement of said shutter comprising a lever forming partof said transmission means, a finger adapted tobe clamped in apredetermined position With respect to said lever, means actuated by thebreech closing means for automatically impacting said finger uponcompletion of the breech closing operation and thereby moving said leverto operate the shutter, and means for clamping said finger in a secondposition out of line of movement of said impacting means.

9.v In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech, a breechoperating lever, means for automatically actuating said lever to openthe breech bV the movement of the gun in returning to battery, means forclosing said breech including a spring which is compressed during thebreech opening operation, and means for locking said spring incompressed position so that the breech may be opened by manuallyactuating said operating lever Without the necessity for compressing thespring. 7

10. In mechanism for opening and closing a gun breech, a breechoperating lever, means for automatically actuating said lever to openthe breech by the movement of the gun in returning to battery, means forclosing said breech including a diaphragm operatively connected to saidoperating lever and longitudinally movable in a casing carried by saidgun, anda spring interposed between said diaphragm and said casing andadapted to be compressed during the breech opening operation, and meansfor locking said diaphragm in its position compressing said springcomprising a locking pin mounted on said casing normally out ofengagement with but adapted to be moved into engagement with saiddiaphragm, and means for locking said pin in either engaged ordisengaged position.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. I

NICOLAS EMILIEN METHLIN.

